Welcome to the www world of knowledge
20min of mind changing talks. Photo: Image: ted.com
One of the exciting things the web offers is access to high quality educational websites where you can learn about practically any topic you can think of. There are incredible resources out there such as Ted, 30 second MBA and 99U not to mention the endless videos on Youtube. We selected three popular learning communities that you should check out – here is an overview of what they offer:
Coursera is an educational technology company that partners with over 80 leading education institutions and organisations from around the world to offer a range of online courses. There are currently over 350 courses on various topics such as Arts, Engineering, Health & Society and Biology & Life Sciences, to name a few. Trailers about the various classes are also available where you can get a feel for the lecture and topic.
Cost: FREE
How does it work?
Step 01: Pick your course: each institution provides a course syllabus, workload and session length for you to know the requirements before signing in.
Step 02: Join the class: watch weekly lectures, complete interactive quizzes and assessments and interact with your classmates and teachers online.
Step 03: Fulfill the class requirements, finish your classes and receive recognition for your efforts.
Image: Here are a few courses we have got our eye on.
www.skillshare.com
SkillShare offers recorded video lessons on topics such as technology, branding and design. Here the emphasis is more practical than theoretical and the teachers are industry professionals who build the lessons together with the SkillShare team. This platform focuses on social interaction with peer feedback. You can get in touch with your teacher via email or post them a note in an allocated area on the SkillShare website called Classroom Tab. The good news is there are no deadlines and you can progress at your own pace.
Cost: Classes ranges from free to $25
How does it work?
Step 01: Watch the classes online. All classes are pre-recorded; there are no webinars or live lectures.
Step 02: Create your project using the step-by-step structure of the video classes and the project guide.
Step 03: Receive feedback on your projects from two fellow students.
There is nothing like learning from real experience! SkillShare’s founder gives lessons from his experience – raising $3.6m from various venture capitalists. Photo:www.skillshare.com
University of Third Age (U3A)
U3A is a global network of learning groups offering an opportunity for people over 50 to expand their knowledge, gain new skills or tutor a class. Most groups are run by volunteers and the class fees are low. While most groups offer face-to-face meetings there are also virtual options (online classes) and social areas for community engagement. Anyone in the world can become a member for a minimal fee. You can check:
Happy learning!
